Automobile-buffer.



A. L. McGREGOR. AUTOMOBILE BUFFER.

APPLICATION nmm APR. 30. 1910.

1 x 9 i j/fg'i' 10 Patented May 16, 1911.

llllllylllll/llllla 1 1 21 ALLAN L. MoG-REGOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE-BUFFER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed April 30, 1910. Serial No. 558,704.

To all'whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALLAN L. MCGREGOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Buffers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buffers intended for use on automobiles, and pertains more especially to that type wherein a horizontally disposed buffer-bar is elastically mounted upon and in advance of the forward ends of the usual side frame bars of the vehicle.

The invention, has for its general object to provide an improved buffer of this type affording a more compact arrangement of the operating parts than heretofore, and

l better protection to the cushioning springs.

Another object of the invention is toprovide an attachment to the frame bar which shall avoid the necessity of weakening the same through the formation of holes to engage fastening bolts. I

My invention, its principle of operation. and the benefits and advantages secured thereby will be readily apparent to those.

skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which shows 4 one practical form in whlch the invention may be embodied, and in which-- Figure 1 isa to plan view of my improved automobile ufi'er showing also the forward ends of the usual side frame members on which the same is mounted. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, in cross section through the buffer-bar and with the spring housing partly broken out to show the interior construction. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, more particularly illustrating the means for securing the inner end of each buffer-bar supporting member to the side frame bar of the vehicle. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates'the forwardly-and downwardly projecting front ends of the usual side frame bars of the vehicle, herein shown as of inwardly facing channel form (Fig. 3). On the pivot bolts 6, 'lllt'll connect the extreme forward ends of the bars 5 to the upper ends of the usual semi-elliptic springs (Knot shown), are mounted a pair of bu er-bar supporting members 7, which are disposed substantially horizontally and extend both forwardly and rearwardly of the pivots. The forwardly projecting portion of each supporting memher is so formed as to provide a vertical spring housing or chamber. 8 and, directly behind the same, a pinion housing 9, the side walls of which are apertured to form bearings for a short rock-shaft. This latter, in the form shown in Fig. 4, is a composite member and comprises a pair of axially bored shaft sections 10, each formed with inner polygonal portions 10 and conical portions 10 which are journaled in bearings 9 in the side walls of the pinion housing 9; the two shaft sections being united endwise by a through-bolt 10. The outer ends of the rock-shafts thus formed have jecting arms 11 formed at their upper ends with s lit collars 12 adapted to clamp the bufi'er- 'ar 13 by means of clamp-bolts 14.

Within the spring chambers 8 are housed strong compression springs 15 which abut at their u per ends against the closed upper ends of tl fe chambers 8. The lower end of each spring is directly engaged by a stress transmitting member in the form of a piston or plunger 16 that is made integral with the lower end of a vertical slidable rack-bar 17 confined between the opposite side walls of the pinion chamber 9, which latter are integral with and merge into the c lindrical wall of the spring housing 8. Mes ing with the rack-bar 17 is a pinion segment 18 housed within the pinion chamber 9 and fast on the inner polygonal portions 10 of the rock-shaft.

Integral with the sprin housing 8 and projecting laterally therefrom is a lug 19 that forms a stop to limit the forward swing of the arm 11 through enga ement with the lower edge of the latter. Y referably, and

as herein shown, this stop is duplicated on both sides of the spring chamber in order .threaded horizontal lower end 21 of an up wardly extending link 22 which is also formed with a threaded upper end 23. It is very desirable to avoid the weakening of the side frame bar 5 which results from aperturing the same for the connection of frame bar, and a nut on the upper end of the link 22 which is connected to said clamp. Fig. 3 illustrates principally the details of this device, wherein 24 designates one of the clamp members, which is formed with a horizontal surface 25 engaging the lower side of the bar 5, and a vertical surface 26 en agin the outer vertical side of the bar 5; and 27 esignates the other clamp member which has ahorizontal surface 28 engaging a .the upper side of the lower horizontal flange of the bar and a vertical surface 29 engaging the vertical edge of said lower horizontal flange. The'clamp member 24 has a vertical aperture 30 for the passage of a clamp-bolt 31, and the two clamp-members areformed with the opposed oppositely inclined wedge surfaces 32 and 33 engaged by awedge 34. mounted on or formed integral with the bolt 1 31. It is obvious that as the bolt is drawn down by its nut 35, the wedge 34 acts toforce the clamp members24'and 27, into intimate contact with the bar 5 at both' the r horizontal and vertical bearingsthereon, so

that the clamp is very securely held on saidbar. On the threaded end 23 of the link 22 is a nut 36 which is formed with a vertical extension 37 that 'is apertured, to receive a tap-bolt 38 that screws into a threaded hole 39 formed in the outer side of the-clamp member 24. a

The operation of the device will be readily apparent from the foregoing description.

en the bufler-bar 13 encounters an obstacle offering sufficient resistance to call into play the cushioning springs, the said bar swings on the arms 11' in an upward and rearward direction, this'movement, through the rack and pinion mechanism and the stress-transmitting member 16 compressing the springs to an extent proportional to'the resistance offered by the obstacle. When the bufl'er-bar has been freed from engagement by the obstacle the reaction of the springs instantly restores 1t to normal position wherein the arms 11 engage stops 19. The links 22 connecting vthe inner ends of the supporting arms 7 with the side frame bars 5 hold sai arms rigid in any adjusted position determined by the engagement of the nuts 36 with the threaded up er ends of the links 22. By disposing t e cushionin springs vertically between the bufi'er-bar an the plvots of the carrying arms thereof, a compact construction is provided and one wherein the springs are well protected from accidental injury or displacement.

stress transmittin Minor modifications and variations in the detail features of the, device shown and described will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and are comprehended by the invention to the extent that they fall within the scope of the appended laims.

. I claim:

1. In an automobile buffer, the combinamember and said rock-shaft, substantiallyaa .as described.

2. An automobile bufi'er, comprising in combination a buifer-bar, a pairof support ing members secured to the forward ends of the side frame bars of the vehicle and forming shaft bearings and spring abutments,

cushioning springs engaging said spring abutments, rock-shafts mounted in said bearmgs, arms fast on said rock-shaft and carryin' said buffer-bar, stress transmitting 'mem ers directly engaging said springs, and

rack-and-pinion connections between said members and said rock-. shafts,'substantial y as described.

'7 3, An automobile bufi'er, comprising in combination a bufl'er-bar, a pair of support ing memberssecured to and projecting forwardly of the forward ends of the side frame bars of the vehicle, the forwardly pro ecting portions of said supporting memers being formed with shaft bearin and spring h0usings,.,cush i0ning springs in said housings, rock-shafts mounted in said bearmgs, a pair of arms each rigidly mounted at one end on saidrock-shafts and at its other end carryingmsaid buffer-bar, stress transmitting mem rs directly engaging said springs, slidable racks rigid, with said stress transmitting members, and pinions fast on said rock-shafts'and engaging said racks, substantially as described.

4. An automobile buffer, comprising in combination a buffer-bar, a pair of support-' ing members secured to and projecting for- 'wardly of the forward ends of the side frame bars of the vehicle, the forwardly projecting portions of said supporting members being formed with spring housings at their forward ends and shaft bearings rn rear thereof, cushlomng springs in said housings, rock-shafts mounted in said bearings, a pair of arms each rigidly mounted at one end on said rock-shafts and at its other end carryin said buffer-bar, stress transmit-ting menihors directly engaging said springs, slidable racks rigid with said 1 stress transmitting members, pinions fast on said rock-shafts and meshing with said racks, and laterally projecting stops on said limiting the forwar swing of said buffertion with a side-frame bar of the vehicle,

tion with a side-frame bar of the vehicle,

spring housings en aging said arms and bar, substantially as described.

5. In an automobile buffer, the combinaof a buffer-bar su porting arm pivoted to the forward end 0 said side-frame bar and extending rearwardly thereof, an upwardly extending link connected to the rear end of said arm and threaded at its upper end, and means for attaching the upper end of said link to said side-frame, bar comprising a clamp engaging said side-frame bar, a nut on the upper end of said link, and means connecting said nut and clamp, substantially as described.

6. In an automobile buifer, the combinaof a butter-bar supporting arm pivoted to l the forward end of said side-frame bar and extending rearwardly thereof, an upwardly extending link connected to.the rear end of said arm and threaded at its upper end, and means for attaching the upper end of said link to said side-frame bar comprising a clamp formed by cooperating clamp-members both engaging vertical and horizontal sides of said side-frame bar and a wedge-bolt acting to draw said clamp members together vertically and horizontally on said sideframe bar, a nut on the upper end of said link, and a tap-screw connecting said nut and one of said clamp-members, substantially as described.

ALLAN L. MCGREGOR. Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, DAISY C. THORSEN. 

